Former rugby union boss Andrew Fagan has been appointed the new chief executive of AFL club Adelaide.
Fagan was chief of Super Rugby franchise the ACT Brumbies from 2005-2013 before joining the Australian Rugby Union earlier this year.’
The 43-year-old, born in Adelaide and raised in Sydney before moving to Canberra to complete university, believes his rugby experience will be a help, rather than a hindrance, in the AFL industry.
“At its core, the business is the same but certainly as an industry, the AFL is the leading sports industry in the country,” Fagan told reporters on Monday.
“I’d like to think I will bring a fresh set of eyes and a new set of experiences to the club. I will immerse myself in this business and in a short time I will be an AFL man through and through.”
While the Crows remain financially secure, the club has missed the finals in four of the past five years – results which Fagan said must not be accepted,
“On a commercial front, the club has got a strong footing – they’re a very strong national brand with great corporate support and an extraordinary supporter base,” he said.
“But I was open and honest in saying that I thought the club has not met the expectations of their supporter base on the field over the last several years.
“The vision of this club is, and should be, to be the most respected and successful sporting club in the country. And I feel completely at ease with that as an aspiration.”
Barneythecrab
Guest
I hope he is better at hiding the evidence than Trigg. Imagine how much we are gonna rought the system to keep danger, Sloan and Tex.
HarryHP
Guest
Born in Adelaide though so is nto foreign to the game. But you are generally right - St Kilda had a Scottish CEO Archie Fraser who was not much good (also worked in the A-league - can't remember the club, but he wasn't much good there either!). But...Ian Robson CEO of the Victory used to be the Essendon CEO (probably dodged a bullet there!) and Heart CEO Scott Munn had a number of roles in the AFL includign help setting up the Suns. Anyway, heard him on 5aa last night and seems well spoken and likeable, but firm, which is what the Crows need.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Does anyone know if they have a salary cap in Rugby? If not then he is a perfect fit for the Crows :)
conchie
Roar Rookie
Football is an emotional game, IMO a lot of these postions need football passionate people in them as well as a being bussiness savvy. Was it Holmes at Brisbane also a rugby man ?, how did that go. Having said that, good luck.